Toy and apparatus for manufacturing the same



27, J. W BLACKLEDGE I TOY AND APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING THE SAME Filed June 25, 1934 n; F 5/ I I Patented Apr. 27, 1937 UNITED STATES TOY AND APPARATUS FOR MANUFAC- TURING THE SAME John W. Blackledge, Chicago, Ill.

Application June 25, 1934, Serial No. 732,208

Claims.

Myinvention relates in general to toys for shooting projectiles, and more in particular to a toy arrow projector, and an apparatus and.

method for manufacturing said toy.

5 The conventional bow and. arrow, the toy spring gun for shooting an arrow therefrom, and other types of toys relying for their popularity primarily upon the projection of an arrow or dart, have always found favor with children.

However, there have been certain disadvantages in the toys which have never been overcome in those with which I am familiar. This type of toy is usually bulky in size, requires quite extensive apparatus for discharging the arrow or dart, and in its large size is ordinarily a somewhat expensive article.

7 It is an object of my invention to provide a simplified, compact arrow projecting toy.

A further object is to provide a very inexpensive toy, yet one which is attractive in appearance and sturdy.

It is also an object of my invention to provide such a toy which may be quickly assembled at a low cost, and

A still further object is to provide a simple, inexpensive apparatus for. rapid assembly of the toy.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description taken with the drawing, in which:

Fig. l is an elevation of the entire toy of my invention;

Fig. 2 is an elevation partly in section, and showing the projecting member in position to discharge the arrow;

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view of the projecting member;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the washer for the projecting member;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the rubber band for the projector;

Fig. 6 is an elevational view of a modification of the projecting means;

Fig. 7 is a further modification of this means;

Fig. 8 is a further modification of the projecting means;

Fig. 9 is an elevation of a portion of the apparatus for assembling the toy;

Fig. 10 is a sectional view along the line 0-4 0 of Fig. 9; and

Fig. 11 is an elevation of the remainder of the assembly apparatus.

The toy of my invention comprises an elongated shaft having a rubber vacuum cup on one end thereof, and a tube for carrying and guiding said shaft having an elastic band supported on one end for fitting over the end of the shaft to project said shaft through the tube.

Referring now to thedrawing, an elongated shaft I5 is provided, having a vacuum cup head IE on one end thereof. A neck I! on the cup head has a cavity l8 therein for receiving one end of the shaft I5. The cavity l8 may be slightly smaller in diameter than that of the shaft so as to frictionally grip the same in firm engagement.

As noted above, this general type of arrow ordart has been previously used in toys. However, the means for projecting the dart are usually somewhat complicated, bulky, and of course expensive. In my invention I provide a small, simple projecting means which is very inexpensive, yet as effective so far as propelling the dart is concerned, as the more complicated V mechanisms of the prior art. Its propelling means comprises a sleeve or tube l9 having a depressed portion and raised beads 2| and 22 at the ends of the sleeve. An elastic band assembly 23 is fitted over one end at the depressed portion 20 to engage the dart and project it through the sleeve. The elastic band assembly 23 includes an elastic band 24 having an aperture 26 in one end thereof which may be fitted over the sleeve, and the band held thereon by a pliable washer 21 with a corresponding center aperture 28.

In the commercial embodiment of the invention I have found the most satisfactory assembly is provided with the band 24 of rubber and the washer 21 also of rubber material. The corresponding apertures 26 and 28 in the two members are considerably smaller than the circumference of the bead 22 and adjacent portion of the sleeve l9 so that they must be stretched in order to slip them over the end of the sleeve member to fit into the depressed portion 20. I have found that the rubber band slipped over the end of the sleeve without the intervening washer has a tendency to pull off of the bead or tear with use. The washer 2'1, however, yields to the movement of the rubber band as it is stretched, and engages the sleeve adjacent the aperture 28, and outwardly on the bead 22 over the area of said washer. The more tightly the rubber band is stretched, the greater is the pressure exerted against the washer to increase the friction on the sleeve. There is also a frictional engagement between the washer and that portion of the rubber band covering the washer which prevents the rubber band from slipping away. The

washer 21 strengthens the assembly at this portion, prevents the rubber band from pulling off of the sleeve, and also prevents tearing of the rubber band adjacent the aperture. Although I have found that a rubber washer 21 is most satisfactory, it is understood that I also contemplate the use of a washer of pliable material such as leather or felt, which would provide some amount of frictional gripping on the sleeve and the rub her band and yield to the movement of the latter.

The shaft 55 is rounded at its rear end 29 in the manner shown in Fig. 2, so that as the operator pulls out the rubber band preparatory to projecting the arrow, the shaft will not cut into that portion of the rubber band engaged thereby.

In operating the toy, the shaft I is inserted in the sleeve l9 and the sleeve gripped with one hand. The rubber band 24 covering the end of the shaft I5 is gripped in the other hand and pulled back to the desired tension, at the same time carrying the shaft therewith. The sleeve I 9 is long enough so as to guide the dart and project the same in a reasonably straight line from the mouth thereof to stick to a target or the like by means of the vacuum cup l6.

In practicing my invention, I have found a novel, simple apparatus for quickly and cheaply assembling the various portions together. The apparatus comprises a series of jigs as illustrated in Figs. 9 to 11, which include a post 3| which may be mounted on a table or the like with a button 32 on one side thereof shaped to conform to the cup portion of the head 16. The head itself is laid on a jig 33 of a shape corresponding to the outer contour of the head in a position adjacent the button 32. A further jig member 34 is positioned on the table adjacent the member 33 and includes an elongated body portion with a channel 36 longitudinally thereof. This channel is designed to support the shaft l5 as illustrated in Figs. 9 and 10 and has an upwardly extending back rest 31 to receive the shaft as it is pushed onto the jig. A lever 38 completes this portion of the apparatus and is pivoted in a manner so as to engage the end of the shaft, and upon actuation, to force the shaft into the cavity It in the vacuum cup head. I have illustrated the lever as operable in vertical position, but it is understood that it may also be pivoted in a manner so as to operate in a horizontal plane.

The rubber band assembly on the sleeve I9 is accomplished by the use of an apparatus including a peg or dowel pin 39 extending upwardly from the fiat surfaced table or the like to carry one end of the sleeve l9. A conical headed pin 4| with a shank 42 extending downwardly from the head is slipped into the opposite end of the sleeve l9 in the position illustrated in Fig. 11. The rubber band 24 is positioned with the aperture 26 over the point of the head 41 and pushed downwardly thereon until it has slipped over bead 22 and down onto the depressed portion 20 of the sleeve. The lower portion of the head M is of a circumference corresponding to the circumference of the bead 22 so that the rubber band will readily slip over the latter. After positioning the rubber band, the washer 21 is then slipped over the head 4! in the same manner, and the two assembled as shown in Fig. 3. This apparatus provides for a rapid and efficient assembly for either a large or small quantity of the toys, and is designed so that the complete ap paratus may be installed for each operator as sembling the toys.

Although the projecting means illustrated in Figs. 1 to 5 is the preferred form of my invention, I also contemplate the use of an elastic strip 6! as illustrated in Fig. 6 having its ends positioned in back of the bead 62 on the sleeve 63 (identical with that of Fig. l) and securely held on the sleeve by a rubber or metal collar 64. A dart 66 is positioned in the sleeve 63 in the manner heretofore described and projected therefrom by extending the elastic strip 6i.

A further modification of the projecting means is illustrated in Fig.7, in which a rubber band H is looped over the depressed neck of the sleeve 12 in back of the bead 13. A knot 14 is then tied in the rubber band in. the position illustrated so as tofirmly retain the band on the sleeve. The dart 16 is projected in the manner described.

Fig. 8 illustrates a still further modification in which a single rubber band BI is employed. In this modification the rubber band is doubled over in the usual manner with the looped ends 82 and 83. A wire or cord 84 is extended through the loops and around the neck of the sleeve 86 to securely fasten the rubber band in back of the bead 81. With this construction a double thickness of the rubber band 81 is provided at the rear portion which contacts the end of the shaft of the dart 88.

It is thus seen that I provide a simple and effective toy for projecting darts against a target, wall or the like. The toy is attractive in its operation and fool-proof so far as its operation and use is concerned. I have furthermore provided a very simple apparatus for assembling the preferred embodiment of my invention which will assist in reducing the cost of the manufacture of the toy and make it possible to produce the same either on a small or large scale.

Although I have described my invention in its preferred embodiments, it is understood that I do not limit myself thereby, but limit the inven tion only by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a dart projecting toy, a tube having a forwardly-facing shoulder extending therearound, a dart carried in the tube, and means for projecting the dart from the tube, said means including a rubber band apertured to fit around the end of said tube, positioned in back of said shoulder and providing a loop to fit over the end of the dart in an oppositely positioned imperforate portion of the band.

2. In a dart projecting toy, a dart supporting tube having a forwardly facing shoulder extending therearound, a dart carried in the tube, and means for projecting the dart from the tube, said means comprising a rubber band apertured to fit around the end of said tube in one portion, positioned in back of said shoulder and adapted to fit over the end of the dart in an oppositely positioned imperforate portion of the band, and a pliable washer on said tube between said band and said shoulder cooperating to hold said band against removal therefrom.

3. In a dart projecting toy, a dart supporting tube having a raised bead around one end thereof, a dart carried in the tube, and means for projecting the dart from the tube, said means comprising a rubber band apertured in one portion to fit around the end of the tube in back of the bead and adapted to fit over the end of the dart in an oppositely positioned imperforate portion of the band, and a rubber washer apertured to fit around the end of the tube between the bead and the rubber band to engage said band and cooperate to retain said rubber band upon the tube in operative position.

4. In a dart projecting toy, a body member for carrying and guiding a dart, including a raised portion at one end, and a depressed portion forwardly of the raised portion, and dart projecting means comprising a rubber band apertured at one end thereof to fit over the body member I behind the raised portion and lay in the depressed portion, and a pliable washer correspondingly apertured to fit over the body member and lay between the rubber band and raised portion whereby to engage the raised portion on one side and the rubber band upon the other upon stretching the rubber band, to firmly retain the latter on the body member.

5. In a dart projecting toy, a dart supporting tube having a forwardly facing annular shoulder concentric with the bore of said tube, a dart carried in said tube and means for projecting the dart from said tube consisting of a single member formed from a single piece of material, said member being elastic and being positioned mainly behind said shoulder, having an integral apertured portion extending in front of said shoulder and restrained thereby, said elastic member also having at its opposite extremity when stretched out a pocket for the rear end of said dart comprising the stretched out portion of said elastic member at the sides of said dart and a transversely extending portion of said elastic member extending behind and engaging the rear end of said dart.

JOHN W. BLACKLEDGE. 

